I hope I didn't come across as critical of those who were unable to breastfeed longer when I said I wouldn't recommend mixed feeding or early weaning. I think we need a breastfeeding culture - what you say about making breastfeeding in public is part of it - and that more will succeed if we truly develop that culture. This week's MMWR, for example, has an article about progress towards providing a breastfeeding-friendly atmosphere in hospitals and birth centers (Excerpt: "Maternity practices in hospitals and birth centers throughout the intrapartum period, such as ensuring mother-newborn skin-to-skin contact, keeping mother and newborn together, and not giving supplemental feedings to breastfed newborns unless medically indicated, can influence breastfeeding behaviors during a period critical to successful establishment of lactation.")

There will always be babies who can't be breastfed, or who can't have breastmilk for a long time, but there will be fewer if we have the supports - cultural, medical, educational - in place to facilitate breastfeeding as the norm.